Decision making

A well-organized miracle

organizationalhabits Baby steps to start getting organized, Big project ideas, Building your personal brand, Decision making, Staying focused, Working with your guides , , , , , , , , , , ,

I just wrapped up production of the musical Brigadoon in Freeport, Maine. I have loved this musical since I was in it in high school and jumped at the chance to direct it for the theater group I run. We pulled together a cast that included some of the best singers in the area, and put on a wonderful, mysterious show. I hope being in Brigadoon provides awesome lasting memories for the cast and crew, and know we touched the hearts of our audiences.

Toward the end of the run, I kept hearing one line from the show run over and over in my head: that the mystery of Brigadoon is a “well-organized miracle.” I have decided to carry that line with me as I head out next February to travel and write. I want to get everything as organized as possible – thinking through where I’m going and what I’ll need and won’t need in the car, to make order out of chaos so I use my time well. And I’m going to trust that along the route, I will encounter miracles that shape the direction I go and the words I write. Continue reading →

Dissolving into the core of YOU!

organizationalhabits Baby steps to start getting organized, Big project ideas, Building your personal brand, Changing habits, Decision making, Staying focused , , , , , , , , , ,

This beautiful chrysalis, hanging from a birdbath in one of our gardens, got me thinking about how magical it is when ideas grow and flourish.

We’re letting more and more wild milkweed grow in our yard to give the monarch butterflies a place to lay their eggs and to give the emerging caterpillars a place to eat. And we grow a ton of flowers for the butterflies to dine on in between. We’ve seen lots of butterflies and caterpillars over the past few months, but this is the first chrysalis I’ve spotted.

So how does this tie to organization? Continue reading →

Creating an inspiring work environment

organizationalhabits Baby steps to start getting organized, Big project ideas, Building your personal brand, Business tips, Changing habits, Decision making, Planning impacts on your health, Productivity tips for work, Setting organizational priorities, Staying focused , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Ideas need a healthy environment to thrive. Organizational skills need a strong environment to thrive. YOU need a healthy environment to thrive!

If you’re struggling bringing your cool ideas to life, take a look at your work environment to see if that’s an issue.

Ideas are kind of like the DNA in your body. Each of the 37 trillion cells in your body has a little road map of DNA in it. But DNA is triggered by the environment the cell lives in; the DNA by itself can’t take action. In a healthy environment, a cell thrives. In a toxic environment, a cell dies.

If you want to avoid catastrophic illness, you strive to create an environment where your cells thrive. You eat well, watch your weight, exercise, meditate, and you’re happy. Healthy living isn’t a guarantee you won’t have to deal with illness, but it gives you the best shot at keeping cellular proteins wrapped tightly around potential DNA triggers that can harm you. Continue reading →

Living a creative life

organizationalhabits Baby steps to start getting organized, Big project ideas, Building your personal brand, Changing habits, Decision making, Setting organizational priorities, Staying focused, Working with your guides , , , , , , , ,

Have you read Liz Gilbert’s book Big Magic? There are so many great ideas to ponder in this short gem of a book. I’m re-listening to the audio version this week as I zip between work and directing Brigadoon in Freeport, Maine; we open on 8/30 – oh, my!

Here are my big reminders from Liz: Continue reading →

Share what you know

organizationalhabits Big project ideas, Building your personal brand, Business tips, Decision making, Setting organizational priorities, Staying focused, Working with your guides , , , , , , , , ,

How much do you know of your family history?

You most likely know back one generation to your parents. Maybe you knew your grandparents. And maybe you were lucky enough to know your great grandparents. After that, things usually get a little fuzzy. But how much do you know about any of them – even those who have been part of your life? Continue reading →

Breaking out of a food rut

organizationalhabits Building your personal brand, Changing habits, Decision making, Planning impacts on your health, Staying focused , , , , , , ,

I don’t know about you but I tend to eat the same types of food for long periods of time. Before I gave up meat, I had a year where I ate roast chicken weekly if not daily. Another year it was turkey on pita. The year I was pregnant with my second daughter, it was roast beef sandwiches. When Bea was born, she weighed just under 11 pounds and was almost 2 feet tall. She is clearly made of iron!

I gave up meat about 12 years ago but still have binge foods – spinach, salmon, nuts. Recently, my daily fare includes spicy almonds and guacamole. These aren’t bad for me, but when you eat the same foods over and over, you can overwhelm your body with certain “same” ingredients. And you may miss out on hearing cues your body is telling you about new things to eat. Continue reading →

In defense of chewing your food!

organizationalhabits Baby steps to start getting organized, Building your personal brand, Changing habits, Decision making , , , , , , , , ,

Smoothies are all the rage and when you drink one, you feel awesome. You just consumed enough fruit and vegetables to get you through the day!

The goal is wonderful, but the vehicle isn’t.

Here’s the thing. Liquids process so quickly in your body, your body hardly knows they’re there. That’s true no matter what you drink which is why water is always your best bet.

But you drink smoothies partly for the fiber they contain. Doesn’t that take a little longer for your body to process? Nope. Continue reading →

5 tips to be a successful leader

organizationalhabits Building your personal brand, Business tips, Changing habits, Decision making, Productivity tips for work, Setting organizational priorities, Staying focused, Working with your guides , , , , , , , , , ,

When I was working my way up through the business world, I had very few bosses I emulated. It appeared to me that to “make it” to the top, you had to work 100 hours a week and expect your employees to do the same. You had to be somewhat cut-throat and keenly competitive with others at your level within the organization. And it didn’t appear that empathy had anything to do with business.

I know a lot of that still goes on but was encouraged to read an article today in The Washington Post by Aaron Gregg and Thomas Heath about three executives from the DC area who were rated “the highest” by their employees. These are bosses you can look up for who they are – as well as for what they accomplish.

What’s cool is that these principles apply whether you’re running a small, medium, or large company. And they apply if you aren’t running a company at all! They’re simply great life ideas. Continue reading →

Are you participating, or visiting?

organizationalhabits Building your personal brand, Decision making, Setting organizational priorities, Staying focused , , , , , ,

I’m traveling this week spending time with family at a quiet beach on the “forgotten coast” of Florida. My work consists of chatting, eating, kayaking, biking, walking, writing, and reading. It’s bliss :).

Here’s a quick reminder from poet Mary Oliver about how important it is to participate, truly participate, in your life. Thanks to Jonathan Fields at The Good Life Project for posting this earlier this week. Continue reading →